Long-term effects of electrochemical realkalization on carbonated concrete

doi:10.1007/s11709-019-0583-x

Front. Struct. Civ. Eng.

2020, Vol. 14

Issue (1) : 127-137 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11709-019-0583-x

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Long-term effects of electrochemical realkalization on carbonated concrete

Peng ZHU^1,², Ji ZHANG¹, Wenjun QU¹(

)

¹. College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
². Key Laboratory of Performance Evolution and Control for Engineering Structures, Shanghai 200092, China

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Abstract

The long-term effects of electrochemical realkalization on carbonated reinforced concrete with a W/C ratio of 0.65 were studied. Fourteen out of 16 carbonated specimens had been subjected to realkalization seven years ago, and the alkalinity of the concrete, the electrochemical characters (corrosion current density and potential) of the specimens and the corrosion conditions of the steel bars were examined. Results of different specimens and also at different time (4, 10, 13 months and 7 years after realkalization) were compared. According to the phenolphthalein and pH meter test, the alkalinity of the concrete had disappeared after seven years. Based on the potentiodynamic polarization test, various corrosion conditions had developed on the steel bars, which was verified by visual observation. All bars were in the depassivated state, and their corrosion current densities increased significantly after seven years. Cracks developed in some of the specimens, and the diverse compactness of concrete and excessive current of realkalization were considered to be possible causes. The effects of the realkalization treatment vanished after seven years.

Keywords realkalization concrete carbonation polarization curve corrosion

Corresponding Author(s): Wenjun QU

Just Accepted Date: 24 October 2019 Online First Date: 17 December 2019 Issue Date: 21 February 2020

Cite this article:

Peng ZHU,Ji ZHANG,Wenjun QU. Long-term effects of electrochemical realkalization on carbonated concrete[J]. Front. Struct. Civ. Eng., 2020, 14(1): 127-137.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fsce/EN/10.1007/s11709-019-0583-x
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fsce/EN/Y2020/V14/I1/127

Tab.1 Concrete mix design

Fig.1 Specimen design (unit: mm). The specimens were concrete cylinders (diameter: 70mm, height: 250 mm) with F10mm plain steel bars in the center. The top and bottom were all isolated with epoxy resin and the surrounding area was exposed to the air. Wires were welded to one side of the steel bar for treatment and measurement.

Tab.2 Realkalization parameters

Tab.3 Crack development in the realkalized specimens

Fig.2 Corrosion current density and potential 7 years after realkalization. The names below the columns indicate the specific specimens and the digits above indicate the values of (a) corrosion current density and (b) corrosion potential.

Fig.3 Polarization curves before and 0, 4, 10, 13 months [¹⁴] and 7 years after realkalization. (a) Before and 0 months after realkalization; (b) 0 months and 4 months after realkalization; (c) 4 months and 10 months after realkalization; (d) 10 months and 13 months after realkalization; (e) 13 months and 7 years after realkalization; (f) 7 years after realkalization (10 A/m²). The change rules of polarization curves of specimens under the realkalization condition 3/5 A/m², 14/28 days measured 0, 4, 10, 13 months and 7 years after realkalization are present in Fig. 3(a) - (e), and the specimens under the realkalization condition measured 10 A/m², 14/28 days 7 years after realkalization are shown in Fig. 3(f).

Fig.4 Corrosion current density and potential over 7 years. The corrosion current density and potential calculated from the polarization curves are present. The x-axis indicates the time (months) after realkalization and -5 indicates carbonated specimen before treatment.(a) Corrosion current density; (b) corrosion potential.

Fig.5 Results of the phenolphthalein tests for specimens CR3&14-2, CR3&14-1, CRX-1 and CRX-2 after seven years. A 1% phenolphthalein solution was sprayed onto the freshly cut surfaces as a pH indicator. The region with pH value not less than 8 appeared red, while the region with pH value less than 8 remained unchanged. The pH was tested by concrete powders (depth of 0-5 mm from the steel bar) and the values were present in the subheadings.(a) CR3&14-2 (pH= 7.94); (b) CR3&14-1 (pH= 7.86); (c) CRX-1 (pH= 7.78); (d) CRX-2 (pH= 7.42).

Fig.6 pH around the steel bar 4, 10, and 13 months after realkalization. The x-axis indicates the time (months) after realkalization and the pH was tested by concrete powders (depth of 0-5 mm from the steel bar).The pH around the steel bar 4, 10, and 13 months after realkalization was directly related to the charge. The higher the charge was, the higher the pH was. In the period from 4 months to 13 months, the pH around the steel bar dropped over time in all the treated specimens. Based on the pH test, the pH decreased to below 8.0 after 7 years from the value of more than 12.0 immediately following realkalization and 11.56 ~ 12.19 13 months later.

Fig.7 Corrosion conditions of the steel bars seven years after realkalization. The images were part of the steel bars removed from the specimens. The above six specimens are carbonated and realkalized specimens CR3&14-2, CR10&14-3, CR3&14-1, CR10&28-2, CRX-1 and CRX-2 and the other two are carbonated specimens C-1 and C-2. (a) CR3&14-2, i = 3.47 mA/cm²; (b) CR10&14-3, i = 15.34 mA/cm²; (c) CR3&14-1, i = 35.37mA/cm²; (d) CR10&28-2, i = 43.15mA/cm²; (e) CRX-1 (not measured); (f) CRX-2 (not measured); (g) C-1; (h) C-2.

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